No awful events this week, hooray. First born thinks she is on her holidays, but apart from that is behaving herself and has even done some voluntary work, so I'm pleased with that.

It is Paul's birthday in a couple of weeks and he NEEDED an iPod touch (I wanted him to have a iPhone but he said he would break it at work). I searched for the best deal and found it cheapest at Asda Direct, bought via Quidco to get cashback, and with free speakers. The speakers are currently on Amazon for £60, reduced from £100, so I went for that deal. Harrison and I went to collect them at Pilsworth, getting soaked in that amazing downpour, and we were given an enormous box for the speakers. I was a bit worried about where they would go, struggled to carry it to the car and brought it home. When we opened it there were 4 speakers in the box, but my conscience can't keep them. I phoned up the shop and they laughed at me, but I'll take them back when it is convenient. After 3-4 days it has changed his life and he has embraced the world of apps and pings.

As if that wasn't enough, he now has a suit too! He has never ever had a suit, and I have never even seen him in a tie. He decided to take the plunge for a wedding we are going to, and I was kicked out of bed at daft o'clock on Saturday morning to start the search in the Next sale(s). With him being 6'5'' he needs extra long of everything, so getting a matching jacket and trousers was more difficult than expected. After going to:
Bury Woodfield
Bury Millgate
Bolton Trinity
Walton le Dale
Bolton Middlebrook
and finally, Manchester Arndale
we had quite a selection but only 1 actual suit. Luckily it is very smart and he looks good in it! My credit card managed to keep up but is looking forward to all the refunds that will go on it this week.

The schools finished on Friday, and I went to the special assembly held because H's teacher was leaving. H got his Gold Award while I was there so we were over the moon - he has been aiming for it all year but we didn't think he'd got quite enough merits. His report was great, but more for comedy value:
"H wrote a very persuasive letter to Sponge Bob Square Pants, asking if he would come in and visit us in class - I won't hold my breath for that one!"
"I have frequently been knocked off track during my lessons by Harrison's unique questions and comments such as the time that he asked for a drink of water because he had accidentally swallowed a piece of paper that had just 'floated' past him."

On Saturday afternoon we found ourselves childless, so went into Manchester for a Chinese and a couple of drinks. I had been recommended chocolate beer at The Angel, but it wasn't on when we got there. I had something else, just to be polite, then we made our way to The Marble Arch, which did have chocolate beer. It was a bit Guinnessy and didn't really taste of chocolate, but that didn't stop me having 2 halves. We then found out that Ms Aspery was at home recovering from a headache, so being the good friends we are, we got a carryout carton of the choccy beer, plus one of ginger beer, and stopped off at hers to help her on the road to recovery. It seemed to work and we eventually (after testing the sloe gin and rhubarb vodka)got home at a daft time.

Nearly finished (sorry, but I'm hoping to be spotted by a publisher so have to do this!)...on Sunday morning I was fit enough to collect H and go to the gym, where I ran (yes you read that correctly) for 20 minutes, as well as the other bits and pieces. In the afternoon I was persuaded to go to The Rock shopping centre that has just opened in Bury. It was heaving, and I struggled to find a parking place even though it was Sunday and I wasn't anywhere near the shops. I can't say I enjoyed it (but I did get a frock for the wedding). I've posted a picture, but it was taken on Saturday morning on one of my Next expeditions.

Right, I'm off to be Delia now - Tarts spaghetti. I'll try to write less next week.

The week that was

This has been a really strange week where I've had an absolutely terrible day in it, but a couple of fabulous days too!

The beginning of the week was one I don't want to repeat. First Born(FB)was being discharged from hospital, but her accommodation wasn't going to be ready for 3 weeks, so she was to be taken from the comfort of her hospital ward and dropped at the homeless hostel (I kid you not). She would have to be at the hostel by 6pm each night to get a bed, and would get kicked out at 9am each morning to walk the streets until 6pm came around again. Needless to say there were lots of tears - most of them mine - and so many people in my house trying to come up with a solution that I think Paul thought someone had died when he got home from work. Help came in the form of Saint Joan (AKA Paul's mum) who said she could stay at their house. FB is safe, being fed proper food, and is sleeping in a bed with clean sheets and no fleas (well, I'm assuming not). The down side is that she thinks it is great and a big holiday. However, miracles must happen, and the last I heard FB was going to do some voluntary work!

I've been sorting out my will recently and the first draft arrived for me to proof read this week. It has been horrible trying to make sure everyone is going to be kept in a style they'd like, but I think I have more or less sorted everything, with all my heirlooms split fairly. The one really worrying thing was that my house is being left to someone called Peter. I don't know who he is but I'm sure he hasn't done anything to deserve my house, and I'll have to remember the amend that typo.

Thurday is Bury Times day and I was quite put out when my letter about my MP making sweeping statements about the opinions of his constituents was removed from the website after an hour or two. Personally I think her must have had a word in someones ear, but too late Mr Nuttall. It got on another website and the printed version of the paper did it proud.

On Friday I went to my favourite kind of work meeting, where I get lots of good stories from the police. Yes that's right - I put in a full week! The meeting was held on the top floor of a new building so it was good to have a nosey, and the views were great.

Saturday could have changed my life. I was up at a decent time (well, by 9:30am) to get myself ready and meet up with the rest of The Chorladies for the X Factor auditions. We had to be there by 1:15 pm so we were all running to time and got there early, not long after 12:30. There were hundreds of people already there. We got through the first hurdle and got our numbers, but got told that because of the time we had turned up we may not get in! What I had thought of as great time management was looked on as a lack of commitment. When I'd been waking up, loads of people were already there. It wasn't a complete disaster though. We had a good catch up while we were waiting, and we managed to avoid being covered in unpleasantness when a woman next to us started puking up everywhere. A first aider had to come, but they'd sent a junior as his job was just to mop up. After over an hour quite a lot of people got told to go home, but we could stay so we were feeling quite confident. It didn't last long. After waiting an hour and a half we got told to go home, with an important message - if we came again sleep on the pavement and we may get in! We didn't let it get in the way of a good day out though. I had an overnight pass out in case I got lucky with Simon Cowell. I've never seen X Factor (or the rest of them) and had got him mixed up with Piers Morgan, so I was glad I could go home without a kiss and tell story to write.

Instead of being kept waiting inside the GMEX we got to hit the town. We had a shandy to recharge the batteries by the Bridgewater Hall, then we found a fabulous bar called Taps. Each table has beer taps on it and you help yourself to what you want, in whatever (small) quantity. An iPod touch calculates how much you have had and what the cost is. It looked a great place for a night out and the food looked good too. We just had some posh chips to keep us going.

After that we had an hour on the Manchester beach, currently at the Fan Park in Castelfield. The sun was shining, and we were too early for The Hilton, so it killed a bit of time. Then to Cloud 23 for cocktails. Jolanda was a bit worried about the height, and wouldn't go too close to the glass floor, but she liked it too. It was all finished off with Tapas at Vinos. El Rincon was booked up for the night from early on. We really did have a great day out and made the most of whatever we were dealt.

Sunday wasn't bad too. H and I went to the gym first thing, then we had our monthly visit to the farmer's market in Ramsbottom. Then home for breakfast/lunch/tea all rolled into one and off to Music in the Park in the village. It seemed like all the village was there. Even though it was its 8th year I've never been before as we are always busy. I have a feeling that it normally rains too. We were all settled though by kick off for the world cup final at 7:30pm. Harrison had Spain in the class sweep stake at school so it was Spain we have been rooting for. For a church school we were surprised at the children being involved in this way! However it has worked out really well, and the children have been learning about all the different countries as the tournament has gone on. He has come home from school today with his 'prize' and all his classmates are jealous. He has a big England hat, a football, a football book, 6 packets of football cards, a packet of refs whistles, and a packet of football Haribo!

I'm hoping to be quite boring this week, so with a bit of luck you'll only have a brief update next week! Have a good one.

1 down, 4 to go

I've been back at work over a week, after being off for 5 weeks, so I decided that today was going to be the day when I really earned my salary. A full days work later, and I'm already looking forward to Friday evening! It was hard work, but I've made loads of progress. I think that by the end of the week I'll have remembered everything I should be doing.
It has been a very strange few weeks. Since The Great Manchester Run I haven't run at all! I have been going to the gym but not really doing much. Last Sunday I didn't want to go but Paul threw me out of the house with Harrison (who was going to FitKids) so he could tidy up. I sat on a sunlounger for an hour reading my book, and I wasn't even next to the pool - the lounger had been moved outside onto the grass. It wasn't the most scenic or relaxing place (I could clearly hear the lorries speeding along the M66) but it did the trick. As I'm going to be very busy for the foreseeable future, and the school holidays are coming up when I never have chance to go, I've finally handed in my notice. Now all I have to do is find Harrison a cub group to go to instead.
I've changed my school run routine in order to be more healthy and green. I now walk to school and back in the morning, and start work earlier to make up for it. That way I walk 2 miles, and get 40 minutes exercise. I try to walk back at night too, which isn't too difficult as I don't have to be there until 6pm if necessary. If I'm busy at work I can just carry on later - the joys of working from home. This way I'm also being environmentally friendly.
I have a new hobby (to take care of my marginal time) - making my MP wish he'd never been elected. I now get notified whenever he says anything in the House, and I can keep a record of the off the wall ideas he has so I can remind his constituents when he wants re-electing. He is giving me plenty of annunition, but I think The Bury Times may get fed up of me writing in soon.
This time next week I may have been whisked off to be famous. The Chorladies have been practising for their X Factor audition on Saturday. Unfortunately Ms Aspery is out of the country so it has had to be by group Skype link! I have got an overnight pass out too, just in case I cop off with Simon Cowell!
Well, I've just finished being Delia, so I'm going to put my roasted Mediterranean vegetable lasagne in the oven and put my feet up.
It is good to be back folks!

Best foot forward

OK folks, I'm going to start this off again. I'm not going for it right now, mainly as I can't see properly due to the excessively strong Caipirinha that Paul has made me. This is going to be my therapy, and just one of my literary outlets. I'm going to make a nuisance of myself in writing all the time David Nuttall is my MP (unless of course he startes to make sense. If I decide that day has come, someone please have a quiet word with me).
Installment due in nect 24 hours...